2011-2012 School Year

Opening Packet

August 2011

TO:County Farm Bureaus®

County Ag Literacy Coordinators

FROM:IAITC Staff

RE:IAITC Opening Packet

CC:IFB Regional Managers

IAITC Program Council

FCAE Staff

Susan Moore, IAA Foundation

The following material concerns the Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom Program. If you have any questions, please contact IAITC at 309-557-3334.

All forms can be accessed at :

Accomplishments Report

It was another great year for the IAITC Program at the state and county level. We will be issuing our annual accomplishments report in mid October. We will be sending out electronic copies of this report when it is complete. Watch for it soon!
Ag Mag Distribution

As in the past, upon arrival from the printer, one copy of each new Ag Mag will be sent to all County Farm Bureau® offices and all county coordinators for review. We will also include an item in Field Talk about the new Ag Mag’s availability. It will be the responsibility of each county to let IAITC know how many packages (30 per package) are needed for each Ag Mag issue. Upon shipping the quantity requested, each CFB will be invoiced for UPS shipping charges only. Please order via e-mail () or fax (309) 557-2098. Orders can also be placed on line through the IFB Website (

Current Ag Mags in Stock:

Corn DairyEnergyHorseNutrition

PizzaPumpkinSoilSoybeanSpecialty Crop

TreeUrbanApple

OUT OF STOCK AG MAGS:

BeefBiotechCareersEarth DayHorticulture

IllinoisPorkPoultrySafetySheep

TechnologyWater

AG MAG UPDATES:

At IAITC, we know you want Ag Mags and our printing priority is: Livestock (Animal Care), Pork, Illinois, Biotech and a new JH Biotech and Careers

2011-2012Illinois Ag in the Classroom Calendars

These new calendars are in and shipments have been made to each County Farm Bureau, based on the amounts requested per county. We currently have additional calendars available; please notify us () if you would like more.

Adopt A Classroom

Adopt A Classroom teacher and farm writer matches are in the process of being completed and packets will be mailed. There is still time to make a match. If you or your county would like to be involved in this program, please contact Kyle at 309-557-3334. If you are working with Governmental Affairs Division and Adopt A Legislator, we’ll work to match you with a school from that legislative district. Any farm writers or counties who have questions or would like suggestions/ideas on items to send to a classroom, please contact us at 309-557-3334.


Teacher Grant Application

Grants of $250 from the IAA Foundation and the IAITC Program will be awarded to Pre-School through High School teachers this fall. Grant applications areavailable under County Ag Literacy Forms. Award winning grant samples, and grant judging guidelines are available on our website. Faxed and e-mailed applications will be accepted. Applications must be received in the Illinois Farm Bureau office by 4:00 p.m. on October 1, 2011. ***These applications arealso available on the Ag in the Classroom website under Teachers/Grants.

New this year are two specific grants on agriculture related book themes. The themes are “US Farmers Feeding the World” and “Raising Livestock”. Take a moment to investigate these new topics as well as our standard grant.

IAITC Coordinator Meetings

Each year the IAITC Program will hold three Coordinator Meetings. The 2011-2012 dates are as follows: 1)September 20, 2011–in Bloomington (FORM POSTED NOW!); 2) February 6 – Bloomington,February 7 –Sycamore,February 9 – Southern Illinois; 3) May 22 –TBA. Check the website for more information as these dates approach. Due to the continued state funding and economic situation related to teacher travel, we will not be hosting a 2012 State Wide Ag Literacy Conference this year. Any and all participants in Ag Literacy are welcome to attend these meetings!

Project Learning Tree Workshop

IAITC is proud to offer a Project Learning Tree seminar on September 19, 2011

at the Parke Hotel in Bloomington. A modest registration fee is required for this event to defray the cost of lunch and materials. Project Learning Tree is sponsored by the Illinois Environmental Educators, and has many agriculture related topics and lessons. This event is open to any who are interested. A small block of rooms has been reserved for those who will stay to attend the September 20, 2011 Coordinator Meeting as well.

IAITC Volunteer of the Year Award or the “NOT FOR TEACHER AWARD”

Winners of this award are recognized each year at the Illinois Farm Bureau® Annual Meeting in December. The 2011 Nominations for outstanding VOLUNTEERS with Ag in the Classroom and Ag Literacy aredue September 1, 2011. See form on County Ag Literacy Forms site. (Remember this is for VOLUNTEERS. Paid IAITC Coordinators or Ag Literacy Coordinators are not eligible.)

IAITC Teacher of the Year

These applications are due September 1, 2011. The winner will be announced in mid October/and the award will be presented at the 2011 Illinois Farm Bureau Annual Meeting in Chicago. The winner will receive a trip to the National IAITC Conference to be held in Loveland, Coloradoin June 2012. This application now aligns the Illinois Award with the National Award. The runner-up is our nominee for the AFBF White–Reinhardt Scholarship. Because of early deadlines for the National and AFBF Awards this date has been moved up!! Please note that all applicants for this award must have attended a SAI. See form on County Ag Literacy Forms site.


White-Reinhardt AFBF County Program Mini-Grants

The AFBF Mini-Grant Program open to County Farm Bureaus® are also due EARLY this year. Please submit your application to Kevin at AITC by October 15, 2011. These $500 grants are awarded in February 2012. See form on County Ag Literacy Forms Site. This form is available as an interactive document on our website!

Ag Awareness Conference

A reminder – there will be no statewide conference this year!

AITC 101

IAITC will hold a general introduction to AITC materials and lessons. This is a free session held in Bloomington on September 14. This is open to New Managers, Coordinators, volunteers. Registration is required for this FREE event. See form on County Ag Literacy Forms Site.

Our website is getting a new look. A sample of what the site will look like is featured on the back of the 2011-2012 AITC Calendar. The site will be up and running as school starts. We will make an announcement via email and Field Talk when the site switches to the new look!

UPCOMING IAITC Events

September 1, 2011 / IAITC Volunteer of the Year Nominations Due!
September 1, 2011 / Teacher of the Year Nominations Due!
September 14, 2011 / AITC 101, Bloomington SMITH HALL
September 19, 2011 / Project Learning Tree Special Training – Parke Hotel, Bloomington
September 20, 2011 / IAITC Fall Coordinator Meeting – Parke Hotel, Bloomington
October 1, 2011 / IAITC Teacher Grants Due!
October 15, 2011 / AFBF White-Reinhardt Mini Grants Due!
November 16, 2011 / Summer Ag Institute Meeting--Bloomington Smith Hall
February 6, 7 and 9, 2012 / IAITC Coordinator Meetings – Bloomington/Sycamore/
Southern Illinois
May 22, 2012 / IAITC Coordinator Spring Meeting – location TBD
June 19-22, 2012 / National AITC Conference, Loveland, Colorado

Questions?– contact Illinois AITC at 309-557-3334 or .

ILLINOIS AITC STAFF

Kevin Daugherty Education

Jackie JonesEducation

Kelly MurphyEducation

Carrie VernerEducation

Kyle SchultzAdministrative

Materials posted under County Ag Literacy Forms

Teacher Grant Applications

Ag Lit Coordinator Meeting Form – (September 20)

Project Learning Tree Meeting Form – (September 19)

AITC 101

Volunteer of the Year Award

Teacher of the Year Award

White-Reinhardt County Mini Grant

****Please note that these forms are available on our website under Coordinators/Volunteers, under County Ag Literacy Forms.